Fabrics having unique, aesthetic characteristics are described. More specifically, fabrics having unique multi-colored appearances and unique, three-dimensional surface characteristics are described, along with a method of making such fabrics.
Fabric manufacturers are frequently called upon to provide fabrics having unique appearances and aesthetic characteristics, as designers are constantly seeking new tools to enable them to achieve varying designs in their fabrics and end products. Historically, designers have achieved unique looks for their fabrics through their choice of type and color(s) of yarns used, by dyeing the fabric, or by printing the fabric with a pattern of colors. An alternative method for achieved patterned fabrics is by modifying the mechanical structure of the fabric in particular areas. For example, the fabric can be sanded in particular areas, or treated with hydraulic or gaseous media to modify the position of the yarns in the fabric construction.
However, there continues to be a need for alternative methods for achieving unique and varied fabric appearances.
With the foregoing in mind, the present invention enables the production of materials, and in particular textile materials, having unique multi-colored effects, in addition to unique three-dimensional structural appearances.
The process involves providing a pile fabric having a plurality of pile yarns extending from a base web portion at a first angle. At least some of the pile yarns have an lower portion (i.e. the portion proximate to the base web portion) that is a first color, and an upper portion (i.e. the portion remote from the base web portion) that is a second color, with the second color being visually distinct from the first color. (Where the invention is described as having at least first and second xe2x80x9ccolorsxe2x80x9d, it is noted that the term is intended to encompass the situation where two distinct colors are used as well as where visual distinction is achieved through the use of two different shades of the same color.)
A variety of methods can be used within the scope of the invention to achieve the multi-color effects. For example, the fabric can be made from solution dyed or pre-dyed yarns, then the upper portion of at least some of the pile yarns can be dyed. However, in a preferred form of the invention, the fabric is dyed using a conventional type dye process (e.g., such as by jet dyeing the fabric), and the upper portions of at least some of the pile yarns achieve a second visually distinct color by a transfer printing process. In some aspects of the invention, it will be desirable to use a method for coloring the upper portion of at least some of the pile yarns which also serves to calender the yarns so that they define a relatively small angle relative to the base web portion. In other words, in some aspects of the invention, it has been found to be desirable for the first angle to be a relatively small angle, for reasons that will be discussed further herein.
The fabric is then treated in a manner designed to displace at least some of the pile yarns from their first position. This displacement can be in the angle direction, the lateral direction, or both the angle and lateral directions. The displacement can be performed randomly, or in a predetermined pattern. Because the upper portions of the pile yarns are visually distinct from the lower portions, in the locations where deflected pile yarns are adjacent to pile yarns in a different position (either laterally, angularly, or both), the color of the lower portion of the pile will be exposed. In this way, fabrics having unique color effects as well as three-dimensional effects are achieved. Furthermore, the visually distinct color of the lower portion of the pile yarns serves to outline the pattern, thereby enhancing the richness and textured effect of the design.
The method used to treat the material can be selected to achieve the desired visual characteristics for that particular substrate, but is desirably a hot air patterning treatment method. In a particularly preferred form of the invention, at least some of the pile yarns contain thermoplastic material, and the deflection treatment is performed at a temperature above the heat set temperature for the thermoplastic material. In this way, the fibers will retain the memory of their deflected position, such that the deflection pattern becomes xe2x80x9cpermanentxe2x80x9d until the thermoplastic material is subjected to a temperature higher than that at which it was treated. Thus, the treatment can be performed at temperatures higher than those expected to be experienced during anticipated subsequent processes (e.g. anticipated washing and drying temperatures) so that the pile yarn deflection will be retained through those subsequent processing operations. For purposes of this application, this will be referred to as pattern durability, with a pattern being xe2x80x9cdurablexe2x80x9d when it is capable of withstanding at least one home laundering according to AATCC Standardized Home Laundry Test Conditions, Designation III (1995) without significant pattern loss. This is in contrast to xe2x80x9cnondurablexe2x80x9d patterning methods such as conventional pile brushing methods, where the pile deflection would be lost if the material is washed or otherwise subjected to subsequent processes that would deflect the pile to a position different from its pattern position.